The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and especially to an electrical connector for connecting with a pair of flexible cables extending in opposite directions.
When a pair of devices to be connected is individually assembled in a computer enclosure and is required to be easily replaced by an alternative component, a permanent connection method such as soldering connection is unfavorable. A flexible cable made of an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) or an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) for providing releasable electrical connection between the devices is one the solution to the above problem. The flexible cable is especially useful within a narrow space of a computer enclosure having an abnormal dimension due to the high flexibility thereof.
A conventional connector such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,545 is connected to a flexible cable inserted therein by pressing against the flexible cable to contact a plurality of terminals of the electrical connector. Therefore, the flexible cable is secured within the connector. However, the electrical connector only has one receiving opening for receiving the flexible cable in a predetermined direction. When the flexible cable is required to be connected to the electrical connector from a direction opposite the predetermined direction, the flexible cable must be bent. Thus, the flexible cable and conductive wires therein are likely to be damaged.
Furthermore, a second similar electrical connector should be adopted if two or more flexible cables are required. Consequently, circuits on a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) must be rearranged thereby adversely affecting an efficient circuit layout on the PCB. Since the added circuits and components increase manufacturing costs, an electrical connector can receives a pair of flexible cables in opposite directions is desired.